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Sense: 1-2, 8-10
| Date: | 1100-1200 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | taper 'to hit with the flat part of the hand' |
| Origin: | Old English tæppian |
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tap2 S3 past tense and past participle tapped, present participle tapping
1 to hit your fingers lightly on something, for example to get someone's attention
hit lightly
[intransitive and transitive] tap something on/against/from etc something 
Mark tapped his fingers on the tabletop impatiently.She tapped ash from her cigarette.
Mark tapped his fingers on the tabletop impatiently.She tapped ash from her cigarette.2 to make a regular pattern of sounds with your fingers or feet, especially when you are listening to music : She tapped her feet in time to the music. a toe-tapping tune
music
[transitive]She tapped her feet in time to the music.a toe-tapping tune3 to use or take what is needed from something such as an energy supply or an amount of money : People are tapping into the power supply illegally. We hope that additional sources of funding can be tapped.
energy/money
also tap into [transitive]People are tapping into the power supply illegally.We hope that additional sources of funding can be tapped.4 to make as much use as possible of the ideas, experience, knowledge etc that a group of people has : Your adviser's experience is there to be tapped. helping people tap into training opportunities
ideas
also tap into [transitive]Your adviser's experience is there to be tapped.helping people tap into training opportunities5 to listen secretly to someone's telephone by using a special piece of electronic equipment :
telephone
[transitive]6TA to get liquid from the trunk of a tree by making a hole in it
tree
[transitive]7 if a football club taps a player from another team, it illegally tries to persuade that player to join its team
player
also tap up [transitive] British English informaltap something ↔ in
phrasal verbTDTD to put information, numbers etc into a computer, telephone etc by pressing buttons or keys : Tap in your password before you log on.
Tap in your password before you log on.tap something ↔ out
phrasal verb1 to hit something lightly, especially with your fingers or foot, in order to make a pattern of sounds : He whistled the tune and tapped out the rhythm.
He whistled the tune and tapped out the rhythm.2TD to write something with a computer : Brian tapped out a name on his small electronic organizer.
Brian tapped out a name on his small electronic organizer.WORD FOCUS: hit WORD FOCUS: hit
with your fist: punch, thump, bash
with your open hand as a punishment: smack, spank, slap
with a hammer: bang, hammer
in order to get attention: bang, knock, tap, hammer
accidentally: bump into, crash into, strike, bang, knock, collide (with)
➔ See also hit
WORD FOCUS: hit with your fist: punch, thump, bash
with your open hand as a punishment: smack, spank, slap
with a hammer: bang, hammer
in order to get attention: bang, knock, tap, hammer
accidentally: bump into, crash into, strike, bang, knock, collide (with)
➔ See also hit
